Ranch Ready Rides

ATV’s for 2015

By: Colin J. Cleary

As the New Year is on the move it’s time to start prepping for more work with the warm weather such as; calving, fencing… ah shucks, we just have to get ready for everything we deal with on the ranch! What better tool to help you and your crew get things done than a new ATV? There aren’t too many jobs out there where an ATV can’t assist in some sort of way. I got ahold of four manufacturers; Polaris, Honda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha, and told them I wanted to know which machine they produce is the most “ranch worthy” for your Working Ranch and this is what they presented me with!

POLARIS
Polaris has put a twist into the ATV market with their new model called the ACE 570 SP. This is unlike any other ATV as it has a regular seat with a steering wheel! (EDITOR: see Tim’s Test, Sept / Oct 2014, p. 22 – I drove the snot out of this machine and loved it!).

This setup provides the rider with a much more comfortable ride along with easier entry and exiting of the vehicle, a major plus for those of you who may have bad backs or knees. It also has a roll cage to help ease your mind when it comes to safety. The Polaris Ace 570 SP features a liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, single cylinder 567cc ProStar engine that cranks out 45HP! The front rack will hold 120 lbs., while the rear will hold 240 lbs.

The Ace sits 10.25” above the ground, is 48” wide much like other ATVS, and features power steering to easily move over tough terrain. Polaris emphasized it can handle towing those big ranching objects with its 1500 lb. and standard 1.25” receiver. The Polaris Ace 570 SP is available in Black Pearl Metallic and let me tell you, this is SHARP! I stopped in at my local and friendly Polaris dealer – Full Throttle Powersports in Lena, Illinois and test drove one of these rigs over the holidays and it has my seal of approval for ranch worthiness!

I can easily see where this will make ranch work fun! To learn more visit your local Polaris dealer or check them out online at www.polaris.com.

YAMAHA

Yamaha’s ranch-worthy ATV is the ever-so-tough Grizzly 700 FI. The Grizzly has been around awhile and has built a name for itself for being tough and fun to ride. The Grizzly is powered by a 686cc liquid-cooled 4-stroke engine with enhanced engine settings to improve low end, mid-range and top end performance, with a towing capacity of 1322 lbs. It has a convenient digital LCD multifunction display for easy vision of the ATV’s performance. The Grizzly has a three-position On Command 4-wheel drive system which lets you switch between 2WD, limitedslip 4WD and full-locked differential 4WD, all with the push of a button.

The Grizzly 700 has an Ultramatic transmission with dual-range hi/lo. To help slow you down when coming off the mountainside this ATV has an automatic centrifugal clutch which produces downhill engine braking in 4WD and reverse.

To top off this impressive ranching machine it also features electric power steering to make this already great handling machine better. The Yamaha Grizzly 700 is available in three colors: Steel Blue, Hunter Green, and Realtree AP HD.

Now that you all are itching to get out of the bunkhouse and ride (if only it wasn’t winter), I always say the best way to find out which ATV or any piece of equipment is right for you is to stop in at your local dealership and test drive them. Trust me, they are all more than willing to help you out in determining which model best fits your Working Ranch needs. Visit www.yamahamotorsports.com/Grizzly for more.

HONDA

Honda was excited to announce they have updated the popular ATV known as the Fourtrax Foreman Rubicon. The Rubicon is available in six different models all based with the 500-class engine, a 475cc liquid-cooled OHV 4-stroke, which is definitely tough, efficient and has proven itself overtime.

There are two transmission choices for the Rubicon: a conventional ATV gearbox which is the only manual shift IRS on the market; and the automatic dual-clutch transmission for those of you who may not want to have to worry about shifting down the trail. It can tow an impressive 1300 lbs! Some new features on the Honda Rubicon are the improved electric power steering, more comfortable seating, better reverse controls, improved cargo capacities with new redesigned racks, and new paint schemes.

The all-new Honda 2015 Rubicon also carries a new look, which Honda wants Working Ranch readers to know it’s designed to last, no matter what you may throw at it. To help protect it Honda installed an all-steel full-coverage front bumper with mounts for a winch. With six different models Honda should have a model for you. Stop in to your local Honda dealer or visit them via web at www.honda.com

KAWASAKI

Kawasaki wanted the readers of Working Ranch to have a look at their 2015 Brute Force 750. It is built to operate in the harshest terrain while maintaining comfort. The Brute Force 750 features a sealed rear wet brake, a rigid tubular steel frame, and a digital fuel injection (DFI). When it comes to carrying all that ranching equipment on the rack, it can hold an impressive 264 lbs. of gear and tow 1250 lbs. of whatever you may want to hook behind this beast of a machine.

The Brute Force 750 is powered by a liquid-cooled, four-stroke 749cc 90- degree V-Twin engine, and features a continuously variable transmission (CVT) for very responsive acceleration. You can engage the 4-wheel drive with the simple flip of a button, and the display is very easy to read. The Kawasaki Brute Force 750 is available in two colors: Super Black and Metallic Stardust White. For more information on this ranch-worthy ATV check out your local Kawasaki dealer or go online to www.kawasaki.com.

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Comments

For our operation we chose an Intimidator, made by Bad Boy Buggies. This side by side has a strong motor, large cargo area, and seats three. We pull a brush hog, move hay, and farm tools. It is a 4×4 with high ground clearance. The wench pulls down trees off of the trail. It every thing we need. Best of all its made in the USA!